Juan Henriquez
Juan Henriquez was born in Venezuala andstarted his studies in art in 1995 at Julio Arraga Art School and then at Neptalí Rincón Superior Academy of Art, both in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He continues with experimentation workshops in graphic arts, art restoration, photography, cultural promotion, acting, and art direction for cinema. He was a co-founder member of La Tintota Art Collective developing public art projects, art labs, and collective exhibitions with the support and mentoring of art masters José Ramón Sánchez and Victor Fuenmayor. His work has been featured in national and international art exhibitions, and solo art shows in Belgium, Romania, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, the Dutch Caribbean, and the United States. In 2002 he received the "Young Artist" award at the 27th National Art Salon of Aragua, Maracay. He is currently a resident artist at Laundromat Art Space in Miami, Florida, where he has been living and working since 2006. He is also a represented artist of D'Museo, Caracas, featuring his work in International Art Fairs such as Art Lima, Barcú, and Pinta.
Collect Bean: What is the kindest thing someone can tell you about your work?
Juan Henriquez: The kindest thing to say about my work is that it would not absorb any words to describe what it projects; instead, it replaces words with emotions and deep feelings.
Collect Bean: How do you think your work has evolved?
Juan Henriquez: I think my work has evolved at the same speed my life has evolved, and with all the changes, my perceptions also change, so my work reflects my growth as an individual.
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Juan Henriquez: I find inspiration in the simplest things around me, the pattern created by water drying out in the concrete or how the coats of paint overlap and create compositions in a public wall in the city.
Collect Bean: What role does color play in your practice?
Juan Henriquez: Color has a relevant role in my practice because it starts a dialogue that pushes the opposition of the predictable, it starts a disagreement of the harmony within the painting, it challenges the reading of the visual narrative, and invites to rethink what the observer is trying to understand or feels about the painting.
Collect Bean: How do you balance your practice with your daily life?
Juan Henriquez: My practice is totally connected with my daily life, and it has a necessary balance since I used it as a motif to start a new painting. So, a busy week would push a painting composition to be more minimalist or calm because I would use it as therapy to settle my mood and stress.
